TDs say they won’t pay airport breach fines

Independent TDs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly face the prospect of going to jail after saying they will not pay €4,000 in fines imposed on them by a judge.

At Ennis District Court yesterday, Judge Patrick Durcan found the pair guilty of breaching airport regulations when entering a restricted area at Shannon Airport on July 22, 2014, and fined them each €2,000. They were given three months to pay up or face 30 days in prison.

However, speaking after the case on the steps of Ennis courthouse, Mr Wallace said: “I wouldn’t pay that fine to save my life.”

Ms Daly agreed, telling reporters that “we have no intention of paying a financial contribution to a State which allows this behaviour to continue [at Shannon]”.

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She also confirmed no appeal will be lodged against the conviction. “We don’t feel that we did anything wrong and we won’t engage any further.”

Ms Daly, a TD for Dublin North, said the court “is not an arena where the argument can be made any further so no, we won’t [be appealing]”.

The court heard that the TDs used a rope ladder to scale the fence at the airport and that it is still in the possession of gardaí at Shannon. During the two-day hearing, Mr Wallace asked for its return.

Asked yesterday had he sought the return of the rope ladder, Mr Wallace said: “I’m working on it.”

Convicting the pair earlier, Judge Durcan said the role “of this court is not that deemed assumed by the Skibbereen Eagle in a past century”. The now defunct newspaper Skibbereen Eagle featured an editorial in 1898 warning that it would keep its eye on the emperor of Russia.

Judge Durcan said: “It is not proper that this court is used as a battlefield by protagonists who should pursue issues raised in another forum.”

He said the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to assemble and a right to protest, but the exercise of those rights are not unfettered.

Judge Durcan said the airport by-laws of 1994 are a proportionate response by the State and that he was satisfied the two TDs had breached the regulations.

Asked by the judge to comment on his own circumstances in relation to the penalty, Mr Wallace replied from the body of the court: “In relation to whatever penalty you impose, I would remind you of the Nuremberg principle — that irrespective that you have found us in breach, we felt an obligation to highlight the fact that arms and munitions go through Shannon.”

Judge Durcan interrupted Mr Wallace, a TD for Wexford, and pointed out that “you and I have been through this case for two days. In relation to penalty, now please, there are other cases waiting”.

Mr Wallace replied: “I have no intention of talking all day.”

Judge Durcan said: “I am not going to let you. You can talk outside court all day if you like.”

Mr Wallace then resumed his address and said the Government has contributed towards the militarisation of the planet by facilitating the bringing of arms and munitions through Shannon.

Mr Wallace told the judge: “If you think for thinking the truth and standing up for what we believe in — if you think we should be put in jail for that, I disagree.”

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